Directions

• Take your store-bought corn husk and soak them in hot water f0r a few hours. Remove the husk from fresh corn and immediately immerse into warm water. Discard the silks. Remove all the kernals form ears of corn. Add to processor and process until fairly smooth and evenly blended. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy.
• To the corn, add the butter/sugar mixture, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Process just until incorporated. Add in the masa harina a little at a time and process in between. You want the corn masa to be firm and not runny. Taste for sugar after you process. Add the shredded coconut and pulse just to mix in. Transfer sweet corn masa to a bowl, cover and chill until ready to use.
• Slice the cream cheese into 24 equal strips. Chill until ready to use. Drain the old water from store bought corn husk and refresh with more hot water.
• When ready, assemble tamales (upechos). Take a husk that is about 5 inches in diameter. Shake off excess water. Place a full two tablespoons of corn masa down the center (vertically). add a strip of cream cheese in the center of masa. Fold side closest to you in and over filling and pull in a little to tighten. Continue rolling tamal away from you as tight as you can without squeezing the filling out. If using the deli paper or foil, wrap the tamal securely, like a  burrito.
• Place in steamer, open side up that has been previously filled with water. Add some of the fresh corn husk to the bottom of steamer 9n top of the steamer insert. Once filled, cover with more corn husk, cover pot and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue steaming for 1 hour. Carefully remove one tamal out, Let it stand for a few minutes. If the husk comes away easily, they are done. If not, steam for 10 more minutes. They will firm up as they cool. Yields 24 tamales.